Reduced Hot Water Flow November 23, 2012, 01:02:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135342This one has be stumped. The hot water flow in my bathroom sink is much less forceful than the cold water flow, yet the hot and cold flow rates in the kitchen and shower seem to be equal. This is a recent development. I am in an '08 MB. The bathroom faucet is a single handle type. There is no shutoff valve under the sink. I can feel no kinks in the small amount of plumbing that can be reached. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there is some debris partially blocking the hot side inlet on the ball valve.Does anyone have any other suggestions?Thanks.Ken F in NM
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #1 – November 23, 2012, 01:12:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135344"videodiver2002" wrote: The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there is some debris partially blocking the hot side inlet on the ball valve. --- Cat hair!? ;-)Joan
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #2 – November 23, 2012, 05:00:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135351QuoteI am in an '08 MB. The bathroom faucet is a single handle type. There is no shutoff valve under the sink. I can feel no kinks in the small amount of plumbing that can be reached. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there is some debris partially blocking the hot side inlet on the ball valve. I would try disconnecting the hot water supply at the tap. The connector may have a screen filter that is clogged.Steve
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #3 – November 23, 2012, 09:52:54 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135358Ken The sink's ball valve has two spring-loaded rubber seats (replacable in more expensive faucets, not sure about the Factory faucet). The rubber seats may have built-in screens, which can be blocked with mineral buildup. Mineral buildup seems to a bigger problem in RVs, conpared to stick homes. Not sure if the average campground's water has high mineral levels or if the operating envirnment is to blame. I recently took a 2008 LD's single-handle kitchen faucet apart and found calcium throughout, especially in the aerator. The flow had been so bad that the owners wanted a new faucet. After cleaning, once again it had good flow. A rebuild kit is about $12 at Lowes.Larry
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #4 – November 24, 2012, 08:59:48 am Yahoo Message Number: 135360Ken, Our '06 MB has the same problem. Don't have a solution. Hopefully, someone in the group has an answer.Bill
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #5 – November 24, 2012, 10:51:35 am Yahoo Message Number: 135361We are fortunate to have a soft water connection
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #6 – November 24, 2012, 12:48:18 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135363QuoteI am in an '08 MB. The bathroom faucet is a single handle type. There is no shutoff valve under the sink. I can feel no kinks in the small amount of plumbing that can be reached. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there is some debris partially blocking the hot side inlet on the ball valve. Ok, Ken, I had replaced the single lever bath faucet in our '04 with a different type, so I checked the old one sitting on my workbench. If yours is the same, the news is not that great - there are flow-restricter inserts in the hot and cold inlets for the faucet assembly. To clean them, you would have to pull off the hoses, and using a dental pick, pull the inserts down and out for cleaning. All this while lying on your back. You might think that it would be easier to reach up and unscrew the faucet retaining nuts to pull the whole thing out, but in ours, LD had glued the plastic base of the faucet to the sink - resulting in damage to it on removal. Good luck!Steve
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #7 – November 24, 2012, 02:40:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135364Quote I am in an '08 MB. The bathroom faucet is a single handle type. There is no shutoff valve under the sink. I can feel no kinks in the small amount of plumbing that can be reached. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps there is some debris partially blocking the hot side inlet on the ball valve.Ok, Ken, I had replaced the single lever bath faucet in our '04 with a different type, so I checked the old one sitting on my workbench. If yours is the same, the news is not that great - there are flow-restricter inserts in the hot and cold inlets for the faucet assembly. To clean them, you would have to pull off the hoses, and using a dental pick, pull the inserts down and out for cleaning. All this while lying on your back. You might think that it would be easier to reach up and unscrew the faucet retaining nuts to pull the whole thing out, but in ours, LD had glued the plastic base of the faucet to the sink - resulting in damage to it on removal. Good luck!Steve I wouldn't waste a minute or a dime repairing that cheesy lavvy sink faucet. Here's one Larry Wade put in mine. It's one of the best upgrade investments I've made: http://tinyurl.com/czx2jkmChris
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #8 – November 24, 2012, 03:08:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135365"I wouldn't waste a minute or a dime repairing that cheesy lavvy sink faucet. Here's one Larry Wade put in mine. It's one of the best upgrade investments I've made: http://tinyurl.com/czx2jkmQuote Chris" You folks with the newer rigs are lucky. I would love to replace my cheapo bathroom faucet with the one you got Chris. Unfortunately mine has the shower head teed off the faucet so I guess it's RV specific. Maybe have to call the mothership for a replacement.Bob
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #9 – November 24, 2012, 03:35:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135366Quote"I wouldn't waste a minute or a dime repairing that cheesy lavvy sink faucet. Here's one Larry Wade put in mine. It's one of the best upgrade investments I've made: http://tinyurl.com/czx2jkm"Chris ChrisI also have replaced my lavatory faucet and I'm glad of it. Although I've tried several times I cannot get your tinyurl link to work for me.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #10 – November 24, 2012, 03:43:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135367Quote"I wouldn't waste a minute or a dime repairing that cheesy lavvy sink faucet. Here's one Larry Wade put in mine. It's one of the best upgrade investments I've made: http://tinyurl.com/czx2jkm"ChrisI also have replaced my lavatory faucet and I'm glad of it. Although I've tried several times I cannot get your tinyurl link to work for me.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs Try this: photos/album/110956839/pic/313072368/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc> The photo is in the albums list under ChrisHorst.Chris
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #11 – November 24, 2012, 07:09:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135368Quote Try this: photos/album/110956839/pic/313072368/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc>The photo is in the albums list under ChrisHorst.Quote Chris Ahh, thanks Chris that did the trick. My replacement is very much like yours with the exception that my spout rises quite a bit more so that I can get my hands under it (if not my head) to do a good job. The one thing I disliked about the original was that the spout was almost even with the rim of the sink.Steve S. Lazy Bones & Jiggs
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #12 – November 25, 2012, 01:05:30 am Yahoo Message Number: 135369QuoteMy replacement is very much like yours with the exception that my spout rises quite a bit more so that I can get my hands under it (if not my head) to do a good job. The one thing I disliked about the original was that the spout was almost even with the rim of the sink. That's exactly why I replaced the faucets in both our '83 and '04 with a bar faucet - same hole pattern, but with a high spout that also pivots out of the way for full use of the small sink.Steve
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #13 – November 25, 2012, 10:51:58 am Yahoo Message Number: 135370wrote: That's exactly why I replaced the faucets in both our '83 and '04 with a bar faucet - same hole pattern, but with a high spout that also pivots out of the way for full use of the small sink. -- Steve, by "bar faucet", I think you mean a faucet that would be used on the sink of a small wet bar? If so, how did you deal with the shower diverter on the original 2004 faucet when you replaced the washbowl faucet? (I think the faucets were the same or very similar in my 2003.)Joan
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #14 – November 25, 2012, 10:56:52 am Yahoo Message Number: 135371Thanks, all. Complete faucet replacement is an appealing option. First, I think I will try cartridge replacement. Limited finger function and arthritic wrists make swapping out the faucet an intimidating task that I will hold in reserve in case a new cartridge is not the fix. John L in particular gave me a very detailed set of instructions by private email that emboldened me to work on that.I love this group!Ken F in NM
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #15 – November 25, 2012, 01:47:10 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135372QuoteSteve, by "bar faucet", I think you mean a faucet that would be used on the sink of a small wet bar? If so, how did you deal with the shower diverter on the original 2004 faucet when you replaced the washbowl faucet? (I think the faucets were the same or very similar in my 2003.) That is the type, Joan - but you forget that we have a FL, so there is no diverter. I don't think I've ever seen a bar-style faucet with a diverter.Steve
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #16 – November 25, 2012, 04:45:30 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135373"aq433" wrote: but you forget that we have a FL, so there is no diverter. --- Well, of course! Duh! ;-)Joan
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #17 – November 26, 2012, 05:39:09 am Yahoo Message Number: 135386Ken,Replacing the faucet isn't that bad - the worst part of the job is removing all the sealant that the Mothership uses. Here's a link http://www.wxtoad.com/index.php/lazy-daze/odds-ends/high-neck-bathroom-\ faucet> that shows the high neck bar-type faucet I installed; got it at Camping World. We've been much happier with the separate hot and cold knobs.Ted H.
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #18 – December 02, 2012, 06:20:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135490Well, I have my answer. Re-hashing, the problem was that my hot water flow in the bathroom sink was much less than the cold water flow. The onset was recent. The faucet is the single control type with a cartridge. Suggestions included debris in the cartridge, a defective cartridge and a blockage in the line. One suggestion was a blockage in a screen on entry to the faucet. Steve nailed it. I got a new cartridge and with that on hand, pulled the old cartridge. It looked fine. The lines coming into the cartridge also looked fine. I put the new cartridge in and tried it out. No change - the hot water flow was still markedly reduced. I disconnected the water lines and removed the faucet (not an easy task - more on this later). Looking at the underside of the faucet, there are six tiny holes between the hose connection point and the cartridge that act as either flow limiters or debris screens - or at least there were on the cold side. The hot side was filled with tiny particles of lime, soft enough to break apart yet hard enough to block the flow. Clearly, this came from my water heater. I cleaned out what I could, then dribbled a little CLR in the fixture. It foamed up. I rinsed it outside and repeated until it no longer foamed. I then flushed it thoroughly and reassembled with the old cartridge. It now has even flow again. For those who wish, here are some details regarding disassembly. My faucet is a Utopia Single Control bathroom faucet from Bristol. It uses a cartridge, not a ball valve. To disassemble, turn off the water, bleed off the pressure and close the sink trap to assure that small parts will not be lost if dropped. Use a knife blade to lift the Hot/Cold cover bezel in the center of the handle on top of the faucet. Below that bezel is a Phillips head screw. Completely loosen the screw, and pull the handle up. Set it aside. You can now see the top of the black cartridge. Surrounding it is a piece of chrome trim. Pull the trim straight off the cartridge. It does not turn, just pulls off. When replacing, you may need to wiggle it to get it aligned so it will slide down fully. With it off, there is a plastic ring, white or cream color, surrounding the cartridge. This unscrews. With the white ring off, grasp the end or black rectangular end of the cartridge with pliers and pull. It slides out. That's all there is to it. Replacing, there is a "key" that allows it to be replaced only one way. Now - removal of the faucet base... Reach underneath and feel the tubing coming into the faucet. At the connection point is a nut with three "wings" that allow finger loosening and tightening - if your fingers work well. Mine are marginal and I had a tough time. Unscrew them until the hose ends are free. Above them is another nut, one on each side, with two "wings". These nuts hold the faucet assembly down. Remove both. Normally, one would now be able to lift the faucet up and off the sink to work on the underside. This is a Lazy Daze coach. Everything is glued down. To get the faucet up without damaging it (something I failed to do) you need a putty knife and a couple of flat blade screwdrivers. You may want to sharpen the edge of the putty knife. Begin by pushing the putty knife into the adhesive caulk under the faucet, working your way all around. Considerable force will be needed. I used a pen knife blade. You can tap the putty knife with a hammer to work it under. Just do not force it into the threaded nylon shafts that extend through the sink top to join with the hoses. Once you have worked the putty knife all around, the only thing holding the faucet down will be adhesive that squeezed down into the holes alongside the threaded shafts during assembly. It is time for a bit of force. With the putty knife under the faucet to distribute the load, work a screwdriver between the putty knife and the counter top and lever up a bit. Move the putty knife and repeat, working around both threaded shafts until you can lift up the faucet. It took considerable force for me to accomplish this and I did break a small part of the black plastic mounting base. This occurred primarily because I did not have a putty knife and was levering directly against the plastic with the screwdriver As long as the white nylon parts are not damaged, the faucet will remain functional. To re-assemble, I cleaned the counter top thoroughly, removing all traces of the adhesive caulk used at the factory. I did not re-apply adhesive because I intend to replace the faucet in the near future, having broken the mounting base. I may or may not use adhesive caulk when I assemble the new one. The value of the caulk is twofold. First, it prevents loosening from vibration. Second, it prevents any water spillage on the counter top from dripping through to the cabinet below. Given how rarely I have spilled water on that counter top area and that it is slightly elevated from the surrounding counter top, that is not a significant concern to me. SO - problem found, solution implemented successfully. Thanks again to all for their help and suggestions.Ken F in NM
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #19 – December 02, 2012, 09:52:51 pm Yahoo Message Number: 135494Thanks for the detailed information, Ken! For anyone who needs to disassemble this faucet, there are photo-illustrated instructions here: http://www.andybaird.com/Eureka/pages/faucet.htmAndy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #20 – December 03, 2012, 05:05:13 am Yahoo Message Number: 135496Ken, Excellent report on your faucet problem. I've added your comments to the Faucet article in the LD Companion. Yes indeed, getting the old faucet out is the hardest part of the job, thanks to LD's philosophy on sealing things. Thanks for sharing your experience.Ted H. Toad Hall http://www.wxtoad.com> The Ultimate US Public Campground Project http://www.ultimatecampgrounds.com>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Reduced Hot Water Flow Reply #21 – December 03, 2012, 11:21:58 am Yahoo Message Number: 135501Quote Well, I have my answer. Re-hashing, the problem was that my hot water flow in the bathroom sink was much less than the cold water flow. That was an incredibly detailed and thorough explanation of how you solved your problem, Ken. Thanks much.Chuck in Bellevue
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